Buffalo, NY - A $ 10,000 grant awarded to Gilda's Club Western New York (WNY) by the Teammates for Kids Foundation will be used to support and enhance Noogieland, the nonprofit organization's children's program. Gilda's Club Western New York provides emotional and social support to men, women and children living with cancer and their families and friends as a supplement to medical care.

Noogieland is a warm, colorful play area and program at Gilda's Club WNY designed just for children ages three to 17 who have been touched by cancer. "Noogieland programs fill important psychosocial needs and allay children's fears by helping to normalize the cancer experience for everyone in the family," says Gilda's Club Executive Director Mary Beth Karr. "New activities funded by the grant include Small Talk, an additional Noogie Night and a Parenting With Cancer group. It will also help facilitate existing events and activities in Noogieland, such as our monthly Teen Night, Family Fun Day and holiday parties."

Children who attend Noogieland activities and events benefit by learning problem-solving and communication skills; how to manage one's feelings and emotions; how to live with cancer, and how to deal with grief and loss.

"A cancer diagnosis is difficult enough for the person being diagnosed, but we sometimes don't realize how such news can affect children, even the very young ones," says Kathy Kurtz, MSW, Program Manager and Noogieland Coordinator at Gilda's Club WNY. "Children are much more aware than we give them credit for, and we all know they have very active imaginations. They are much less fearful when they're included and feel comfortable asking questions. Noogieland is a place full of imaginative possibilities for a child experiencing cancer in his or her family. It's also a place to just sometimes forget about cancer for a little while."

About the Teammates For Kids Foundation

The Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation was incorporated in January 1999 in the State of Colorado as a non-profit corporation. The purpose of the Foundation is to contribute financial resources to selected non-profit organizations that effectively serve and benefit children with an emphasis on health, education and inner city services. The Foundation enlists the participation of professional hockey, football and baseball players who contribute a predetermined sum based upon selected categories of on-field and on-ice performance. For more information, visit http://www.teammatesforkids.com.

About Gilda's Club Western New York

Gilda's Club provides a meeting place where men, women and children living with cancer and their friends and families can join together for emotional and social support as a supplement to medical care. Free of charge and nonprofit, the Gilda's Club program includes support and networking groups, lectures, workshops, seminars and social activities in a nonresidential, homelike environment. Gilda's Club WNY serves the eight counties of Western New York. For more information, visit http://www.gildasclubwny.org or call (716) 332.5900.